Lighting system of vehicles



D. MACDONALD.

LIGHTING SYSTEM OF VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a4, 1920.

Patented May 24,1921

2 SHEEISS HEET 1.

n. MACDONALD. LiGHTING SYSTEM OF VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 1920. 1,378,885. 8 Patented May 24,1921.

2 SHEEI 8-SHEET 2- PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD MACDONALD, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

LIGHTING SYSTEM OF VEHICLES. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ma '24, 1921.

Application filed September 14, 1920. Serial No. 410,276.

To aliwkom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DONALD MACDONALD, a subject of the Kin of Great Britain, residing at Stock Exc ange House, 90 Queen street, Melbourne, in the State of Victoria,

I Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Lighting Systems of Vehicles, of which the, following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lighting systems of vehicles and isdirected more especially to lighting systems adaptable for installation in aeroplanes and motor-cars.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and eificient means whereby a driver, pilot or other occupant of a vehicle may readily determine if the lamps attached to various parts thereof are burning satisfactorily, and means whereby thedriver, pilot, or other occupant may exercise effective conv trol over the illumination of positions which are remote or normally inaccessible from the oint of observation as in the case of signal ights of aeroplanes or tail lights of motorcars.

I accomplish the above mentioned object by providing means whereby the whole or portion of the light rays from an electric, acetylene or oil lam or other source of light is directed by re ection or other means to one or more points adjacent to or remote from the pilot or driver whereby in' the former case the illumination of the point or points by the reflected light will indicate whether an inaccessible lamp is burning correctly and in the latter case the reflected "light from an accessible lamp will illuminate one or more normally inaccessible points.

More particularly, the invention consists in providing one or more tubular members or casings having its or'theirinteriors constructed in such a way that lightrays directed into the end or ends thereof from a lamp will be reflected to the opposite end -or ends which may befitted with observation openings or means for reflecting or projecting light therefrom as desired. The

tubular members may be fitted with reflectors or the like for reflecting the light as desired to desired points. a

I order that the invention may be readily un erstood reference will now be had to the accompanying sheets of explanatory draw- 1n whereinigure 1 is a view in side elevation (partly in section) of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention showing its application to tail lamps employed to illuminate the number plate of a motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a view in plan (partly in section) of the construction'shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in sectional plan showing a form of the invention applicable to side or driving lights of aeroplanes.

Fig. 4: 1s a diagrammatic view of a motor car and shows the method of applying thereto the forms of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

ig. 5 is a view diagrammatically illustrating the forms of the invention shown in Fig. 3 as applied to an aeroplane.

11 these drawings like characters of reference have been employed to indicate similar or corresponding parts in the diflferent views and the letter a. designates the lamp which is shown supported from a flanged plug j fitting removably in the upper end of the branch f and level with the floor f of the vehicle. The source of light within the lamp is located in the axis of the tubular member 0 and a reflector g is employed to direct the light rays through a lens z to the rear end of the said tubular member which is provided with a colored glass or lens m.

he side of the tubular member 0 at a point beyond the number plate I) is provided with a window n, through which portion of the light rays are projected by a reflector 0 suitably located within the said member and across the said number plate to illuminate the same.

The plug j supporting the lamp a is formed with vertical passages j which may or may not be provided with a transparent covering and these passages are disposed in such a way as to enable the driver of a vehicle to readily observe how the lamp is ,burning or when it goes out.

The tubular member can be provided with one or more branches which may be fitted with means for directing light therealong for indicating purposes or for illuminating different points in the manner above described. For instance the lamp can be arranged so as to direct light rays into two laterally projecting tubular members having their ends. fitted with lenses as m. and arranged to project the beam of light in a forward or lateral direction from a point on the sides of the body of the vehicle. By means of this form of construction a single lamp can be used to illuminate the rear and sides of a vehicle and the tail and side light ordinarily used can be dispensed with.

The interior of the tubular member can be polished or coated with a substance which will facilitate the refraction or reflection of lightfrom one end to the other thereof or the interior of the said member can be darkened so as to prevent reflection of the light rays directed therethrough as when lenses are employed.

The invention is particularly adaptable for the purpose of controlling the signal lights for indicating the direction of flight of an aeroplane or airship whereby such traflic may be rendered safe at night and be easily controlled.

In adapting the invention to aeroplanes or airships one or more lamps a is or are disposed in an accessible position and the light therefrom is directed through tubular members a which may pass from a housing or casing p surrounding the lamp or lamps to points at the sides and rear or other parts of the aeroplane to be illuminated (see Fig. 3). The housing or casing 12 can be provided with reflectors (not shown) when two lamps are used therein for directing the raysof light through the tubular members and the interior of the said members may be fitted with lenses (1 and 1' for concentrating and directing the light on to plain or colored glass 8 covering the extremities of the said tubular members, the illumination of which serves to indicate the direction in which the aeroplane is moving.

The tubular members may be located within and pass right through the front edge of the wings of an aeroplane and the glasses or lenses 8 covering their extremities can be located at the tips of the wings.

The light rays from the lamp are concentrated by lenses q in the casing or housing surrounding the said lamp and directed by means of projector lenses r through the glasses 8 on the ends of the tubular memers.

The glasses on the ends of the tubular members are shaped to insure the light rays being projected therefrom at an approved an 1e and to assist in the projection of the lig t at an angle to the axis of the said tubular members reflectors or prisms t can be arranged within the outer ends of the said members to reflect the light rays'as required.

The tubular members may be made straight or bent and be fitted at their angles with reflectors or the like, as hereinbei'ore described and they may extend from the lamp or lamps to the points to be illuminated or only part of the distance between these points. a

When the tubular members extend only a short distance from the lamp or lamps they may be fitted with condensing lenses which are adapted to direct beams of light with or without the aid of reflectors to colored glasses or lenses for showing the illumination at a part or parts of the aeroplane at some distance from the lamp or lamps. The use of this last mentioned form of the invention efleets a saving in weight and reduces the resistance to the flight of the aeroplane through the air when the tubular members are not housed in the wings or fuselage.

In the foregoing specification I have outlined the preferred forms of construction and arrangement of parts but it will be readily understood that various modifications and alterations may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the same, and I, therefore, do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the positive terms employed, excepting so far as the state of the art may require.

I claim- 1. In a vehicle lighting system, a tube 100 having at one end an opaque side wall and transparent closures at the opposite side Wall and at its end, means for projecting light rays into the other end of the tube, and a reflector arranged between said transparcut end and oblique side wall whereby to reflect certain of the light rays laterally through said transparent portion in the opposite side wall for efl'ectmg the projection of light rays from the end and one side of said tube.

2. In a vehicle lighting system, a tube, a source of light arranged near one end of the tube, a reflector mounted axially in said end of the tube outwardly of said source of light for reflecting light rays longitudinally through said tube, a transparent closure for the other end of the tube. a transparent window mounted in the side of said tube adjacent said transparent end closure, and a reflector mounted in said end of the tube opposite said windowwhereby to reflect certain of the light rays projected longitudinally through the tube through said window.

3. A license plate illuminator" comprising a plate adapted to bear numbers and having an opening therethrough, a tube fitting in said opening and projecting outwardly from the same and having a transparent window 130 in its side beyond the plate and a transparwindow in the side of the tube for illumi- 10 ent end closure adjacent the window, a renating said plate. i

flector in said end of the tube, and means In testimony that I claim the foregoing. for projecting light rays into said end of as my invention, I have signed my name in the tube whereby some of said light rays presence of two subscribin witnesses.

are adapted to project through the transpar- DONALD MACDONALD.

ent end closure of the tube to provide a tail Witnesses:

light and other of said light rays are adapt- G. W. CULLEN,

ed to be reflected through said transparent WILLIAM A. Asn'ro 

